Retail Merchandiser Volume 63, Issue 2 Volume 63, Issue 2 | Page 44

DESIGN comes naturally

A commitment to the planet means there ’ s more to Joseph Joseph than innovative home products

If you have a keen interest in kitchenware and gadgets , there is a strong possibility that your home has at least one of Joseph Joseph ’ s products . This Londonbased business is renowned for its novel storage solutions and eyecatching color schemes , as well as the ease with which each product can be used . Almost 20 years ago , twin brothers , Richard and Anthony , began the venture to provide effective and technically interesting kitchenware . “ Both Anthony and I come from a manufacturing background ,” says Joint Owner Richard Joseph . “ My grandfather set up a business in Birmingham in the 1930s , which was passed onto my dad . As boys , we would spend our summers shoveling glass on the factory floor .

“ As we got older , we then worked our way around the other departments . Both of us were quite creative at school so we followed careers that involved design and technology . We studied engineering at university , which was centered around practical work and manufacturing ,” he adds . On behalf of him and his brother , Richard shares what goes into bringing their innovative products to home store shelves , and how the company outshines its competitors .
According to Richard , his brother is an incredibly talented product designer , with a laserfocus for innovation . Richard , on the other hand , is more interested in the commercial side of making products , selling them and then creating a business from the ground up . “ I think that ’ s what makes us a pretty formidable pair , and it ’ s why the company has done so well ,” and he ’ s right .
The synergy between the brothers truly comes through in the originality of a Joseph Joseph product . Richard highlights that the innovation that separates the company ’ s kitchenware is intended to disrupt a highly saturated market . “ In the early days , it was about having a small collection of products
44